*NEW* Endangered Species Chocolates

My life would not be complete without Dark Chocolate. Heck, most days don’t feel complete without a couple of squares or chips or chunks.

For years, Endangered Species Chocolate (ESC) has been one of my go-to brands for my Dark Chocolate fix (their 72% Dark with Cranberries & Almonds is a classic favorite of mine!).

I love ESC because not only is it delicious, it’s also reasonably priced, most of their products are vegan, there are animal fun-facts inside the wrappers!, and they donate 10% of net profits to charities that support species conservation & habitat preservation.

In the past 3 years, their 10% GiveBack program has resulted in more than $1 million dollars to partner charities that, among other projects, worked to reduce pesticide use to boost pollinator populations, spread awareness to reduce Ivory demand, and increased counter-poaching measures for Rhinos.

Recently, I’ve found even more things to love about Endangered Species Chocolate:

They now use 100% FairTrade Certified West African cocoa beans that can be fully traced from farm to chocolate bar. The FairTrade certification guarantees that the farmers are paid a fair wage AND that an additional Fairtrade premium goes towards investing in community projects such as improving education and healthcare in the region.

ESC has been hard at work expanding their product line with several new tantalizing products that make chocolate more fun than ever.

Next, they rolled out a line of Chocolate Spreads that sound even better than Nutella since they’re Vegan and they use only Certified Sustainable Palm Oil.

And this Spring, I got a big surprise in the mail when Endangered Species Chocolate sent me samples of their NEWEST products – 60% Dark Chocolate Bars in perhaps their most creative flavors yet!

ESC previously offered a collection of 48%, 72% and 88% chocolate bars – the new 60% line intends to balance bitter & sweet in a way that makes their new savory & spicy flavor blends pop. It’s dark enough to satisfy my dark chocolate cravings, but is also perfect for anyone tip toeing up the dark chocolate spectrum.

Tied with the Almond Butter Creme-Filled Bar, my new favorite bar is the 60% Dark Chocolate with Blackberry & Sage. Don’t miss this unexpectedly amazing combination of diced sage leaves, dark chocolate, and jammy blackberry flavors. Or even better, pair this bar with a glass of deep red wine like cabernet or pinot noir and any day will feel like a special occasion. This is one of the best bars I’ve ever had!

I also loved the 60% Dark Chocolate with Lemon Poppy Seed. This bar tastes like fresh baked lemon-poppy muffins on a sunny Spring day, with actual poppy seeds in each bar for a playful texture. ESC suggests pairing this bar with a nutty chardonnay or espresso.

I was also really excited to try the 60% Dark Chocolate with Cinnamon, Cayenne & Cherries bar though I’m embarrassed to admit it was way too spicy for me! The heat, however, made it much easier to pace myself – I normally have a hard time walking away from a chocolate bar until it’s all gone, but I made this spicy bar last for several days, feeling satisfied with just 1-2 squares per day. ESC recommends pairing this bar with red blends or merlots, walnuts, or sharp white cheese.

These new flavors are starting to pop up in stores, so keep your eyes out, give them a try, and let me know what you think!